Field of the Invention
This invention is directed, in part, to compositions comprising placental growth factors and methods for non-surgical, localized delivery thereof. In one embodiment, the composition is delivered to a diseased or injured organ and/or body part and is co-delivered with an agent which allows for localized retention of the composition at the site of delivery.
State of the Art
Heretofore, modified placental tissue has been used to treat a diseased or injured internal organ or body part. However, such use has been limited by the amount of tissue available and the size of the organ. As a general rule, the minimum amount of modified placental tissue to elicit the desired result has been used. For example, in one embodiment, the placental tissue is used as a barrier layer between organs so as to prevent adhesion formation. See, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0104539.
The in vivo placement of a modified placental tissue also requires an invasive process whereby the placement requires an incision which typically accompanies surgery. However, injectable solutions containing a suspension of placental tissue recently have been used to provide for non-invasive delivery of the placental tissue. While this approach allows for direct delivery of the placental tissue to the in vivo delivery site, the size and amount of the placental tissue so delivered is limited by the width of the injection needle and the volume delivered.
Therefore the use of micronized placental tissue particles in an injectable form has provided significant benefits to disease or injured tissue. However, notwithstanding their commercial success, the retention time of such compositions in vivo is limited by virtue of their very large surface area arising from such micronized particles. The delivery or placement of compositions having less surface area than micronized particles, but more surface area than the placental tissue grafts from which they are formed, would provide for a more sustained benefit to the patient.